Q&A for How to Activate a Conduit in Minecraft

The status effect lasts for 13 seconds but refreshes every second as long as you are within the range of the conduit. If you stay close by the conduit, you will never run out of "Conduit Power".

Make sure that you built the prismarine frame correctly. Also, check that the conduit is surrounded by water source blocks or it won't activate.

You have to be in contact with water for it to work, either by standing in the rain, or by swimming in water.

The conduit gives you infinite water breathing and night vision while underwater and within its range, decreasing to only 13 seconds once you leave it's range or exit the water. It also damages any hostile mobs within an 8 block radius of it.

You can increase the range by placing more prismarine blocks around it, up to a maximum of 42 blocks.

It depends on the number of blocks in the frame. The minimum 16 block frame gives the conduit a range of 32 blocks, while the maximum 42 block frame gives a range of 96 blocks. Note that the range increases by 16 blocks for every 7 blocks in the frame (only activates after the first 16 blocks are in the frame).